A novel copolymer

poly(ethylene-co-ferrocenylformyloxyethyl acrylate)

P(E-co-FcEA)

was synthesized from ethylene and ferrocenyl formyloxyethyl acrylate with an α-diimine palladium catalyst.The molecular weight and composition of the resultant copolymers were analyzed with gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).The results suggested that the FcEA content in copolymerization system influenced not only the molecular weight

but also the composition of resultant copolymers.The molecular weight decreased dramatically with increasing FcEA contents.When the FcEA content was 0.02 mol/L in copolymerization system

the polar monomer content of the resultant copolymer was 0.03 mol% and Mn=75100

while the FcEA content was 0.4 mol/L

the polar monomer content increased to 0.23 mol% and Mn was 2200.In addition

carbon nanomaterials were successfully prepared with P(E-co-FcEA) as precursor by self-catalyzed process

and the pyrolysis products were investigated with transmission electron microscope (TEM).Amorphous carbon containing a small amount of nanosheets was obtained using the copolymers containing 0.03 mol% and 0.04 mol% FcEA when the pyrolysis temperature was 700℃.Nevertheless

carbon nanowires were efficaciously prepared when FcEA content in copolymer was 0.08%.Moreover

increasing pyrolysis temperature to 900℃ also afforded carbon nanowires.